The Chromatic Dragons
The Chromatic Dragons are the oldest and largest street gang in Paradigm City. Like a cancer of theft, violence, rape, and murder they have spread to all corners of Paradigm City, wreaking havoc and bringing crime with them wherever they go. The Dragons view all of Paradigm City as theirs; they were here first and everyone else is imposing on their turf. They are constantly at war with other street gans. Sometimes their schemes and machinations are subtle, and other times they have broad daylight shoot-outs with other gangs that require immediate superhero intervention. The Chromatic Dragons value their own personal rights and freedoms, and ignore those same rights and freedoms for others. The Chromatic Dragons have adapted their street gang lifestyles to the particular city district they live in, adding to crime rates. The Dragons are the most powerful weapon in The Advent arsenal, always ready and willing to respond to an Overlords' instructions and gearing up to swarm whatever it is that has garnered an Overlord's ire. Despite their history of wanton violence and crime, The Chromatic Dragons are actually amiable and, by and large, cooperative with established superheroes. Those recognizable heroes that come to the Dragon's seeking information are almost guaranteed to get it, if they approach with respect. They show this same agreeable attitude toward any member of law enforcement, and many a wise police detective has cultivated the trust of a Dragon or two and gained a valuable confidential informant. History of The Dragons The Dragons were officially formed in 1984 by Juan Pedro Dominguez, a charismatic member of the street gang called the 70th Street Vipers. A skilled orator and fantastic leader, Domingez called a truce among the other five street gangs of Millennium City: The Pit Vipers, Mad Bad Killers, Live Dog Crew, the 10th Street Psychos, and the Citywalk Demons. He invited the leaders and top dogs of each of these gangs to a sit down dialogue, and they came. After six hours of negotiations, brainstorming, and commitments the six street gangs disappeared entirely, coming together to form one massive gang called The Asphalt Dragons. The sudden emergence of a huge and unified single street gang immediately worried local law enforcement. Then Police Commissioner Melissa Cartwright instantly put together a task force to deal with the problem. She called upon Paragon for help and he, along with the rest of the Defender's League, set to work trying to identify the top bosses of the Dragons and incarcerate them. Their efforts proved ultimately fruitless, as Domingez and the other Dragon bosses hid themselves well. In this they were aided by an unremarkable young man named Jerome Ward, a childhood friend of Dominguez who was likewise gifted with a brilliant tactical mind, am overtly charming personality, and a disarming demeanor of peace and non-violence. But Domingues placed his faith in the wrong person. When Ward was officially recognized by the Dragon bosses as the second in command of the entire gang Ward made his move, quietly slipping information to Cartwright and the Defender's League which resulted in the arrest, conviction, and lifetime sentences for Domingues and the other five bosses. Ward promised Paragon that he would keep gang activity to a minimum. Ward was good to his word. When he had full control of the Asphalt Dragons the gang all but vanished from the streets and the citizens of Millennium City could breathe easier. Alas, the peace treaty was not to last. During the three years that the Dragons disappeared Jerome Ward was not idle. He instituted specific reforms within the gang, which made life much easier for the gang's members and secured their loyalty. At the same time Ward was moving around the criminal underground, recruiting corrupt lawyers, bankers, and agents of law enforcement that would allow the gang to operate almost with impunity as long as their allies were taken care of. Those judges and other figureheads that Ward couldn't buy he blackmailed, securing their promises via threats of public exposure. Ward also made tremendous inroads with the crime families of Paradigm City, bringing true organized crime into the fold and boosting the Dragons' overall power base. When everything was ready Ward renamed his little following the Chromatic Dragons, instituting rewards and embellishments for those gang members that went above and beyond the call of duty. The rewards for such behavior was pure power, power revealed by the painting and tattooing of the face to show that power. Millennium City nearly crumbled when Ward unleashed his Chromatic Dragons upon the unsuspecting public. Crime rates began to soar, and law enforcement suddenly now found themselves dealing with gangsters that had virtually unlimited resources and power and could call upon organized crime and Advent Overlords when in need. In an insane power grab for total control of the streets Jerome Ward declared war on every other street gang operating within the confines of Paradigm City. That war continues to this day. The Chromatic Dragons became more than a street gang, they became a militia and Jerome Ward was their commanding officer. There's no telling if the Chromatic Dragons would have won their little war with other street gangs because before the majority of Jerome Ward's plans could be implemented he took a fall at Millennium Chemicals and emerged as the terrifying Rictus. The good news was that Rictus abruptly lost interest in the activities of the Chromatic Dragons. The resulting vacuum of power nearly brought the empire of the Dragons to a demise, but the gang was bolstered once again when the Overlord Jurassic, himself once a Dragon, took the reigns of the organization and brought it back to a steady foundation. Hierarchy Like most street gangs, The Chromatic Dragons follow a very strict Hierarchy. At the very top of the mountain is the Overlord Jurassic, whom keeps the gang flowing like a military unit. Under Jurassic are the seven elite bosses of the gang, the''' Mesazoic Dragons': Black, Blue, Green, Red, Gold, Sapphire, and Umbar. These men and woman act as generals, issuing instructions to the rest of the gang and keeping Jurassic updated on news and events. '''Painted Faces' are the recognizable bosses of the gang. When a gang member shows absolute loyalty to the gang, causes no problems, and proves himself a capable leader he is rewarded by having his or her face tattooed with scales and inked to whatever color he chooses. Painted Faces are then given fast cars, hot woman, stylish residences, and a platoon of Dragons of their own. Painted Faces are the street bosses most likely to be encountered by heroes, and it is with the Painted Faces that heroes can usually go no higher. Basilisks '''are the lowest rank and make up the bulk of the gang. They are soldiers through and through, following orders and jockeying for the opportunity to become a Painted. Dragons of Note The following individuals wield great power and authority within the Chromatic Dragons, and are highly sought after by law enforcement and heroes alike. '''Pedro Alvarez, the Gold Dragon is the second in command of the entire gang. Alvarez has extremely high standing in the Dragons because of his longtime friendship with the Dragons leader, the Overlord Jurassic. Alvarez is wanted on numerous felony charges including rape, torture, and murder. His signature use of paired Mac-10s ensures he doesn't just kill his enemies, he destroys them. Miguel Sanchez, the Black Dragon, has strong connections to Colmbian and Mexican drug cartels and is the point of contact for these organizations to distribute narcotics. It's estimated that if 'Don Miguel' were taken out of the picture the Dragons would lose a whopping 60% of their drug income. Michelle Bronca, the Umbar Dragon, holds the distinct honor of not just being a powerful boss but also the first woman to ever hold a position of authority within the Chromatic Dragons. In addition to her brilliant mind Umbar is also a true meta-human. She possesses superhuman strength and is invulnerable to all force up to heavy arms fire. Lupita Sandovar, the Red Dragon, is the second woman to hold power within the Chromatic Dragons. Lupita has been called by all accounts incredibly attractive and even charming, but she is a lethal killer when provoked. She demands attention, and she gets it. She is a genetic mutant, able to focus her own bio-energy into small objects which she can then throw as explosive ordinance. Her favored choice of 'grenade' is a red rose. Here There Be Dragons The Chromatic Dragons have taken unshakable footholds in every one of Paradigm's Districts except the Greene Way. Each Dragon nest is expected to commit crimes according to District. The Dragons of Millennium City In Millennium City the Chromatic Dragons are an absolute pestilence. They infest every major zone and clog the busy metropolitan arteries like so much cholesterol. In The Row they are the foot soldiers of the Overlord Scarecrow and in Galaxy View Terrace they dance, brawl, and burn things under the amused gaze of the Overlord Jurassic. In Millennium City the Chromatic Dragons mug tourists, break into buildings and cars, engage in shoot-outs in parks crowded with families, and claim the sewer networks as their own private playgrounds. The most infamous Dragon general in Millennium City is, almost without saying, Jurassic. The Dragons of Gold Coast City In The Bucket the Chromatic Dragons have a harder time of things. Wherever they turn they are opposed by The Daughter of Babylon and her Creepshow, The Concierge and his Mooks, and Bitter Pill and her B-Girls. Still, The Dragons persevere, consistently training to gain footholds in narcotics trafficking, smuggling, and fencing. In Gold Coast City the most proliferate Chromatic Dragon boss is known as The Portuguese, a man with no soul and even less scruples. The Dragons of Darkness Falls Triumphantly lead by the Dragon known only as Gothic Princess the Chromatic Dragons have gained a very strong foundation in Darkness Falls, where they focus a great deal of time and effort trying to locate magical artifacts. The Princess wants these in order to grow and secure her power base, hoping to one day gain an Overlord title. The Dragons of Darkness Falls are exceptionally violent but well oiled; they've managed to push the Mesa Devils away from other districts except The Mesa and have prevented the Circus of Sorrows from branching out beyond the Fusion district. When the Dragons of Darkness Falls aren't busy breaking into the city's numerous museums and the Gaslight Society for artifacts they keep themselves gainfully employed operating chop shops and sometimes serving as the front line troops for the Overlord Parasol. The Dragons of Raven's Grove Within the Grove the Chromatic Dragons have a very loose and tenuous presence. Raven's Grove to be almost too much for them as they are constantly warring with the area's Black Casters, Creepshow, and Jewel Underground. Violence from the Dragons here is very intense; drive-by shootings, 'airing out' flats and homes, and taking flamethrowers to the occasional Rot keeps them very busy. The young man in charge of Raven's Grove Dragons is Silver Bullet. Bullet is a very good thug and marksman but seems to really have no idea what he's doing. The Dragons of Skyline City In Skyline City the Chromatic Dragons have a strong but not so visible presence. Lead by the swarthy, happy nature Freebooter, the Dragons here are more intellectually inclined. They commit more upscale, white collar transgressions; the vast majority of which is identity theft and fraud. The Skyline Dragons aren't the kind for mugging someone on the streets. Hacking into bank accounts, charging four bucks a minute for fake psychics, and stealing credit card numbers gleaned from porn sites are more their style. The Dragons of Wideview In the vast and broad expanse of Wideview's rolling hills, quiet meadows, and passive communities the Chromatic Dragons have invaded with thunder. The Dragons here, lead by the leather jacket clad Mongrel live and play in what are tantamount to tribal units. They race back and forth across Wideview in jeeps, heavy SUVs, and ATVs gleefully opening fire on any Rats that happen to get in their way and spending their free time making sport of hunting down and slaying Wideview's 'monsters'. When not engaged in such plundering activities they plunder the aforementioned communities as well with muggings, purse-snatchings, and both armed and strong-arm robberies. The Man Himself Jerome Ward, now knows as Rictus remains, in popular view, the original Chromatic Dragon and the leader of the gang even though his ties to them was separated years ago. Of all of the criminals operating in Paradigm City Rictus stands alone as the most feared, even among the city's elite superheroes. The Chromatic Dragons in large number still remain loyal to their greatest commander, and he can call upon them at any time.